Spring 2017 News and Events

2017 Atlas Week Events

Are you and your cell phone inseparable?

Internationalization of Addiction: Help from Neuroscience

Tuesday, March 21st

3pm

Center for Global Citizenship

We are familiar with the traditional forms of addiction with respect to the use of alcohol and drugs. These are typical examples of substance addiction but what is lesser known or talked about or researched is the addiction due to the devices that we use whether it is the smart phone, tablet or laptop. This belongs to the category of behavioral addiction. For long it has been believed that behavioral addictions were "just in your mind" and that with strong will power they could be overcome. Research now shows us that even behavioral addictions like that of our devices cause changes in the brain. With the ubiquitous use of cell phones and tablets even by young children for long periods of time it is imperative to understand how these could possibly affect the brain and what the long term affects are. While we cannot stop using these devices we have to learn how to use them in a judicious manner to avoid the negative effects arising from their addictive use. Dr. Roy Pereira, S.J. is researching the effects of cell phones, internet usage and social media on the brain. Recently, he was invited by Google to present his work at their Headquarters in Mountain View California. He regularly uses the piano and song to bring out the message of his presentation.

SLU Scientists Discover Bees Prefer Warm Violets in Cool Forests

New research by International Studies Affiliate Faculty member, Peter Bernhardt, Ph.D., and Retha Edens-Meier, Ph.D., indicates that bees, especially fuzzy females of Carlin's bee, prefer to forage upside down on wildflowers so their hind legs and backsides are warmed by the dark petals as they drink nectar and collect pollen. Full story